diff --git a/tests/README.md b/tests/README.md
index a8f9bf47f..b26e71b38 100644
--- a/tests/README.md
+++ b/tests/README.md
@@ -17,8 +17,7 @@ programs.
 2. The following programs must be installed:
 
     * `mysql` (the CLI client)
-    * `python2.7`
-    * `curl`
+    * `wget`
     * `openssl`
 
 3. The user executing the tests must have permission to create the folder
diff --git a/tests/_utils/run_curl b/tests/_utils/run_curl
new file mode 100755
index 000000000..82c8f13d5
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/_utils/run_curl
@@ -0,0 +1,33 @@
+#!/bin/sh
+#
+# Copyright 2020 PingCAP, Inc.
+#
+# Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License");
+# you may not use this file except in compliance with the License.
+# You may obtain a copy of the License at
+#
+#     http://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0
+#
+# Unless required by applicable law or agreed to in writing, software
+# distributed under the License is distributed on an "AS IS" BASIS,
+# See the License for the specific language governing permissions and
+# limitations under the License.
+
+# Usage: run_curl https://url '{"json":"data"}'
+
+set -eu
+TEST_DIR=/tmp/lightning_test_result
+
+if [ -z "${2-}" ]; then
+    POST_ARGS=
+else
+    POST_ARGS="--post-data '$2'"
+fi
+
+# FIXME: use `wget` instead of `curl` because the latter rejects ECC certs on our CI.
+# CentOS is re~~ally old.
+wget -q -O - \
+    --ca-certificate="$TEST_DIR/tls/ca.pem" \
+    --certificate="$TEST_DIR/tls/curl.pem" \
+    --private-key="$TEST_DIR/tls/curl.key" \
+    $POST_ARGS "$1"
diff --git a/tests/check_requirements/run.sh b/tests/check_requirements/run.sh
index 2ca2cd08a..601d5e3fc 100755
--- a/tests/check_requirements/run.sh
+++ b/tests/check_requirements/run.sh
@@ -16,11 +16,7 @@
 set -eu
 
 curl_cluster_version() {
-    curl "$@" \
-        --cacert "$TEST_DIR/tls/ca.pem" \
-        --cert "$TEST_DIR/tls/curl.pem" \
-        --key "$TEST_DIR/tls/curl.key" \
-        'https://127.0.0.1:2379/pd/api/v1/config/cluster-version'
+    run_curl 'https://127.0.0.1:2379/pd/api/v1/config/cluster-version' "$@"
 }
 
 # should be OK when the version is normal
@@ -30,11 +26,11 @@ run_lightning --check-requirements=1 -L warning
 # now try to reduce the version to below 2.1.0
 OLD_VERSION=$(curl_cluster_version)
 reset_cluster_version() {
-    curl_cluster_version --data-binary '{"cluster-version":'"$OLD_VERSION"'}'
+    curl_cluster_version '{"cluster-version":'"$OLD_VERSION"'}'
 }
 trap reset_cluster_version EXIT
 
-curl_cluster_version --data-binary '{"cluster-version":"2.0.0-fake.and.error.expected"}'
+curl_cluster_version '{"cluster-version":"2.0.0-fake.and.error.expected"}'
 
 run_sql 'DROP DATABASE IF EXISTS checkreq'
 set +e
diff --git a/tests/run.sh b/tests/run.sh
index ab81997da..274613b26 100755
--- a/tests/run.sh
+++ b/tests/run.sh
@@ -74,7 +74,7 @@ EOF
     bin/pd-server --config "$TEST_DIR/pd-config.toml" &
     # wait until PD is online...
     i=0
-    while ! curl --cacert "$TT/ca.pem" --cert "$TT/curl.pem" --key "$TT/curl.key" -o /dev/null -sf https://127.0.0.1:2379/pd/api/v1/version; do
+    while ! run_curl https://127.0.0.1:2379/pd/api/v1/version; do
         i=$((i+1))
         if [ "$i" -gt 10 ]; then
             echo 'Failed to start PD'